Liturgical Year:: January, 1/1-1/14

Ever since the crazy days at the end of November, several habits that I worked so hard on and that were going well have fallen apart. I felt like I was in a fog mentally for weeks after that and then quickly jumped into other things, so my life hasn't exactly gone back to normal or routine. I have hardly gotten to daily mass (7am daily low mass in Paoli, where I have been going since June).  I think I went twice (I know for sure  12/7 and 12/27) and maybe one or two other times besides that. I have gone a handful of times now in January but am still slacking a bit. (like, after mass, people are updating me on things from November in January) So for January and even February, I really want to work at getting back into the habit of going to this mass time daily.  I went to 12:10 mass elsewhere a few times and one of the day's was Bishop Morlino's funeral, and sometimes I was sick, but mostly it was cases oversleeping/not being organized/poor planning. Which leads me to my next goal that has  also been derailed, I need to get back into the habit of going to bed at 8/8:30. There were a few days there that my sleep schedule (that I worked so hard for over the summer!) was way off.
Which leads me to my next goal, also derailed since the crazy days of November, I need to get back into the habit of a daily rosary...
and daily quality reading time...
lots of things to jump back into!

Discovered:
1962 Ordo (SSPX) I found this website which is a little bit above my head so it confuses me a little  but I am hoping that I will grow to understand it and that it will become helpful to me.

New books:
I caved and got this....Around the Year with the Von Trapp Family (inspired by many things/people including this review from Wildflowers and Marbles) I bought this from Sophia Institute Press. I think its actually cheaper on Amazon now than from Sophia press.
I am saving my birthday/Christmas Amazon gift cards to spend at the beginning of February and have a little pile of things to buy when that day comes.

New Things:
on 1/8 I got some Epiphany Holy water from Saint Marys Pine Bluff (it was blessed on 1/5). It's in a slick little bottle. I still have my Epiphany holy water from several years ago, a bottle with the "Church Militant" branding on it. (from 2013 or 2014) It seems that I do not use holy water very much at home.

I got this holy water font for my birthday and I put it on my cube shelf. I put some holy water in it to encourage my use of more holy water when at home. I can't remember the last time we had a holy water font in our house. I know we had at least one holy water font at our other house but I can;t think of where it is here. Also, I've had a holy water bottle on my desk for some time now (like years) but I guess it never occurs to me to use it very often. So I think I want to get into the habit of using holy water at home now and not just have it on display.

Peg Dolls:
Peg dolls are on the rise in my life!
(a priest in a cassock, an FSSJ nun, a seminarian & St Pope Pius X)

...and I started a pinterest board titled "Potential Peg Dolls"...

Now, I think it is time to construct my vision for my peg dolls (and why I have so many priest peg dolls).

Feast of the Holy Family:
A most blessed feast day!

This is my favorite picture of the Holy Family that I have ever found. I just really like this one. I know 3 families who have this in their house. One day, I too, will have a copy of this image. Although, I have not found an exact copy yet to buy, I routinely enjoy admiring this picture at other people's houses.

(my own little family)

"1,2,3,4,5,6,7 good children go to heaven"

St Lucy,
St Anne,
St Robert,
St Thomas,
St Francis of Assisi,
St Brigid of Ireland,
St Joseph,
Bl Elena Aiello,
St John,
St Philomena,
St Faustina,
Fulton Sheen,
pray for us!

I prayed for my family. my godparents & my grandparents especially in honor of this feast day.

Commemoration of the Baptism of Our Lord:
Recently, I realized that I don't celebrate my own baptism day, or I haven't. and then I realized, I don't even know what day I was baptized. I know who baptized me, who was there, my godparents and where it happened but I realized I do not know the day itself. I feel like I should know my baptism day.  I asked my mom but she does not remember the exact date. She said to look in my baby book so now I am off to find my baby book...

My Baptism 2/22/1998:

(me with my godparents)

 Was I not the cutest baby EVER?! I think so. 

I just did some over night babysitting again this weekend (1/11-13), so I am not exactly in the most celebratory mood, also, on account of a lack of energy, I am going to save most of my baptismal celebrations for 2/22 (my baptism day).
Although I did go to mass today (not where I generally go), and the priest gave this quote about getting back  to baptismal innocence that I really liked--
"We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all of our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time"
-T.S. Eliot's "Little Gidding"

(Just for fun!)
From my mom!:
(I received this on my grandparents wedding anniversary (1/13), It would have been 57 or 58 years of marriage...)

I always knew that I was the star granddaughter!